While driving, suddenly you lose focus and sleep for a while? Wow, careful! It could be a sign that you are experiencing microsleep or take a nap, you know. This condition should not be taken lightly because it can endanger yourself.
Microsleep or short sleep is a condition when a person suddenly falls asleep for a few seconds. This can happen anytime and anywhere, for example while studying in class or working in the office, even while driving.
So, what is the cause?
Microsleep It is believed to occur when some parts of the brain are “asleep”, while other parts of the brain remain active. One part of the brain that becomes inactive when microsleep is the part that functions to process sound. This is why, people who are experiencing microsleep not responding to calls.
Microsleep risk of occurring in people who are very sleepy but refrain from sleeping. This can happen at any time to people who are sleep deprived, for example workers shift night or sleep disorders.
What happened to Microsleep?
Before falling into microsleep, signs will appear in the form of difficulty keeping the eyes open and yawning repeatedly. Usually, people who are experiencing microsleep will:
- Lost focus
- Don't hear other people talking
- Can't remember what happened 1-2 minutes ago
- Dropping the thing that is being held
- Loss of posture control so that the head suddenly falls
In order to avoid danger Microsleep
Microsleep not dangerous if it happens when you are relaxing on the sofa watching a movie until late at night. However, this could be a problem if you fall asleep when meeting in the office. In fact, it can be very dangerous if it happens while you are driving, because it can cause an accident.
Therefore, microsleep need to be prevented or controlled so as not to jeopardize safety and not interfere with your productivity. The method is as follows:
When at home
- Try to get enough sleep every night, which is about 7-9 hours.
- Before going to bed, avoid drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages and drink plenty of water.
- Turn off the room lights and make the atmosphere of your room as comfortable as possible. Set the room temperature so that it is neither too cold nor too hot.
While driving
Avoid driving when you are sleepy. If possible, ask a friend to drive while you sleep. However, if you are driving alone, do the following:
- Listen to fast-paced songs or music.
- Listen audiobook. Choose an interesting content or story.
- Immediately pull over when you can not hold back the drowsiness.
While at work
- Do not operate any machines when sleepy
- Do light exercise, such as stretching your legs or walking, to get rid of drowsiness
- Wash your face or discuss with work friends about work, to divert sleepiness.
Microsleep it only happens for a few seconds. However, this can increase the risk of an accident, especially if it occurs while you are driving or working with machinery. So, try not to sleep less before doing things that are dangerous or require concentration, yes.
If you often have trouble sleeping, are still sleepy even though you've had enough sleep, or often have microsleep, don't hesitate to consult a doctor, because it could be that you have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or narcolepsy.
